Scots College asks church for advice on same-sex parents

Sydney's most expensive private school has asked the Presbyterian Church for advice on what the church describes as the "homosexual agenda", in the event that a same-sex couple wanted to enrol their child at the school.

"The Scots College has requested the Gospel, Society and Culture Committee to prepare a statement on a biblical response to the homosexual agenda and wishes to be able to respond rightly in the event that a same-sex couple might seek to enrol a boy within the College," the confidential minutes of the meeting in September reveal.

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The "homosexual agenda" is a term used by sections of the Christian right, mostly in the US, as a way to describe the normalisation of same-sex relationships.

The Scots College in Bellevue Hill.Credit:Dallas Kilponen

Under Australia's sex-discrimination laws, religious schools are legally allowed to reject LGBTI children and the children of same sex couples.

The issue has been in the spotlight since Conservative MPs demanded Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull scrap the anti-bullying program Safe Schools in March because of its alleged "gay agenda". At the same time, schools across NSW are increasingly coming to grips with appropriate ways to deal with sexual and gender identity inside and outside the classroom.

In its advice to Scots College, the church condemned same sex relationships.

"Homosexual sex is contrary to God's law, and so is a sin," the minutes state. "Christian repentance must include turning aside from a lifestyle which has deliberately embraced a contravention of God's moral law, including homosexual sex."

Dr Ian Lambert, (right) principal of Scots College.Credit:Nick Moir

But the church adds that families who participate in a homosexual "lifestyle", need support not rejection.

The principal of the Bellevue Hill institution, Ian Lambert, said that in considering the advice of the church, Scots would not reject a child of a homosexual couple if they wanted to enrol their child at the school which charges parents more than $30,000 a year.

A still from Maya Newell's film Gayby Baby
Credit:Gayby Baby

"The College is very aware that issues of sexuality are sensitive and the welfare of students is our utmost concern at all times," Dr Lambert said.

While offering "salvation" to those who engage in same sex relationships, the Presbyterian Church has long fought against their official recognition.

The film's director, Maya Newell, has since developed a "school action toolkit" as a blueprint for school leaders wishing to welcome diverse families.

The new resource comes as debate continues to rage around the public funding and implementation of Safe Schools, which was amended to remove "inappropriate content" such as chest binding in March.

A spokeswoman for Safe Schools said reports of situations like this reinforce the importance of the program.

"We support school leadership teams and teachers, including many faith based schools, so they can create safer and more inclusive learning environments responding to the needs of their own school context," she said.

On Friday, Victoria's opposition said it would axe the program from its schools if it wins the 2018 state election.

NSW Premier Mike Baird has previously indicated his support for the amended Safe Schools curriculum.

CLARIFICATION: An earlier version of this story and headline have been amended to state more clearly that the term "homosexual agenda" was used by the Presbyterian Church's NSW general assembly in its minutes to describe a Scots College request about how to respond in the event of a same-sex couple seeking to enrol a boy with the college. Fairfax Media accepts Scots College, which is owned and run by the church and abides by its policy decisions, did not use the term.